Shock-absorber for automobile driving-shafts.



C. A. BENOIST.

S HGGK ABSORBER FOR AUTOMOBILE DRIVING SHAPES.

APPLICATIOK FILED FILE. 5. 1907.

Patented Jan 18,1910.

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G. A BEKOIS'IX SHOCK ABSORBER FOB AUTOMOBILE DRIVING SHAPTE.

. APPLICATION FILED T113. 5, 1907.

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my T 9m 5 A fiw mm TE Jw m5 m Am B NE w I m 5,. 7 VI 5. 1% 5 5w 9 w wO/JN 9 Rfi CONDE A. BE'NOIST. OF ST. LOUIS. MISSO'UEI. I

SHOCK-ABSORBER FOB AUTOMOBILE DRIVING-SHAFTS. i

Application filed February 5. 1907. Serial No. 355.933,

To all whom it 'mrz concern:

S ecification of Letters Patent. Patent val citizen of-the l'nited States. and resident of St. Louis. Missouri. have invented certain .5 new and useful improvements in Shock- Ahsorhers for Automobile Driving-Shafts. of which the following is a specification containing a full. clear. and exact description. reference being had to the accompanying drawings. forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to a shock absorber for automobile driving shafts. and the objeet of my invention is to arrange a joint in the driving shaft of an automobile between the engine and the driving gear. and to yieldinglv connect the ends ofthe shaft at the. joint in such a manner as that any shock upon the rear axle due to the wheels running into a rut. or striking an obstruction, will be absorbed at the joint, thus relieving undue and sudden strain upon the connections between the driving shaft and the rear axle, and also upon all parts connected to or supported by the driving shaft.

My invention consists of a shaft formed in .two parts. the meeting ends of which are provided with projecting arms, and a still, expansive coil spring arranged between the outer ends of said arms.

My invention further consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in the claim, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 IS a plan view of the frame of an automobile, showing the engine, the driving l shaft, and my improved shock absorber, ar-

ranged in said shaft; Fig. 2 is tin-enlarged cross section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a detail section similar to Fig. :2, and showing a modified arrangement of the spring made tise of in the device.

Referring by numerals to the accompany ing drawings :-1 designates the frame of an automobile, 2 the engine, 3 the rear axle, and 4 the gear casing, which incloscs the driving gear between the driving shaft and said rear axle. Theshock absorber, my invention, provides the driving shaft 5 m two parts,

as contemplated by for the formation of and the llange U is an outwardlv projecting arm 11.

'undue strain upon the ge'aring and the easmeeting ends of the two iitllb of the ll2lll arc provided with flanges u; and formed in the center of one of the ends is an aperture T. which receives a corrcspoiulingiv l catcd l pin formed integral with the adjacent viul of the shat'Lin which pin is l'ornn-d a groovi- 9; and passing through that portion of the shaft which is provided with the aperture T is a pin or bolt 10. the end of which enters the groove J. Formed integral with each and the pair of arms are preferably arranged at an angle of i l)" relative one another. Formed through the outer ends of said arms are slots 12. and passing therethrough is a rod l lbn the screw threaded ends of which. outside the ends of the arm 11. are located nuts H: and mounted upon said rod and interposed between the ends of the arms 11 is a stitl' compression spring 1-3. In Milllk instances. l prefer to bend the rod it) so the same is concentric with the center of the v i driving shaft, (as shown in Fig. l.)

The shaft 5 is driven in the usual manner 5 by the engine. and when the usual clutch or corresponding device is thrown in to connect the engine shaft with the driving shaft. the l'QtllhilXlB will be driven in the usualmanner: and, during this operation, and while the rear wheels are traveling on a smooth road bed, the spring between the arms 11 will be compressed to a very slight degree owing to its great resiliency; but i should the rear wheels drop into a depression, such as a rut, or hole, or should said rear wheels pass over an obstruction. the consequent resistance, and shock resulting therefrom is absorbed or relieved, astho arms 11 will move toward one another, thus compressing the spring 15.

The parts of the. joint in the driving shaft revolve whencve: the machine is in operation, and the spring 15 is of sufiicient strength to withstand the ordinary torsion of the driving shaft. but said spring comi presses according to the severity of the shock 100 upon the rear wheels, and this action relieves ing 4, and reduces to a minimum the danger of stripping of teeth from said gear-in which action renders the machine inoperatire.

A device of my improved construction is simple, inexpensive, easily applied to all constructed in two parts of flanges integral with the meeting ends of the two parts of the shaft, an arm formed integral with each flange, the outer ends of which are in ninement with one another, a rod loosely fitting the apertures formed in the outer ends of said arms, the ends of which rod are screw threaded, nuts located on the screw threaded ends of the rods, a compression spring arranged on the rod between the ends of the arms, and of such dimensions to prevent the ends of the arms abutting; a. centrally arranged pin integral with and projecting from the end of one of the shafts and engaging in a corresponding recess formed in the opposite %ortion of the shaft, there bemg a groove owned in said pin, and a set screw passing through that part of the shaft provided with the r :ess, the inner end of which screw engages in the groove in the pin.

7 In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CONDE A. BEXOIST.

\Vitnesses M. P. SMTH, EDWARD E. LONGAN. 

